Captive golf ball



. 16, 1947. L. BEDARD CAPTIVE GOLF BALL Filed Dec. s 1943 Attorney By/w Patented Dec. 16, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,432,714 CAPTIVE GOLF BALIr Louis Bdard, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application December 3, 1943, Serial No. 512,790 1 Claim. (01. 273-35) The present invention relates to a holder and, more particularly, such a holder for removably retainingany golf ball in captive condition for practice exercises.

Contrary to some other sports, golf practice is a tedious and costly exercise due, primarily, to the risk of loss occasioned by the distances balls may travel and the cost thereof when lost.

Consequently, various suggestions have been made to retain a golf ball captive for practicing purposes. Unfortunately, said suggestions necessitated sacrificing a ball, did not afford practice under accurately simulated conditions of play, or were too expensive and cumbersome.

The present invention has been conceived to avoid the disadvantages enumerated above, and its objects may be stated as follows.

The main object of the invention resides in the provision of means for removably securing a golf ball for practice purposes, without damaging said ball in any way.

A further object provides for a ball holder which does not affect the characteristics of a golf ball when used for practice purposes.

Another object resides in the provision of ballholding means adapted to efficiently retain ball in a tenacious, and yet, instantly removable manner.

Still another object concerns means of the character described adapted to be used anywhere, easily carried and of low cost..

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent, or be further pointed out, during the description to follow.

As an example, and for purposes of illustration only, an embodiment Of the invention is shown in the annexed drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the holder according to the invention and in operative position,

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the holder over a golf ball, and

- Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the holder itself.

Referring to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters represent corresponding parts throughout, the letter H generally indicates, in Figure 1, the holder which is the characteristic feature of this invention. As shown, it will be seen that the holder partially encases a golf ball B to retain said ball captive by means of a cable or string S which, in turn, is attached to a stationary object such as a stake or post P stuck into the ground. Thus, it will be seen the invention is characterized by means for securing golf balls, for practice purposes, whereby said ball is captive and unable to travel farther than the length of the string S will allow. I

The holder itself is shown in Figure 2, encasin a golf ball in a partial way, said holder, in the form of a substantially half-spherical casing 5, having an eye or loop 6 at the back thereof, a plurality of loops 1 formed on the peripheral edge of its mouth and a draw-string 8 engaging said loops for closing the mouth of the holder over the ball The holder must be of a flexible nature so as to conform to the contour of the golf ball and more or less press slightly thereagainst whenever the draw-string 8 is tightened and knotted in pace. The important features of this holder is that it must encase the golf ball slightly more than half its outer surface, in other words: the mouth of the holder, as defined by the row of loops 1, must lie parallel with the theoretical central axis of the ball, but on a smaller circumference than the larger maximum circumference of the ball. Thus, the ball is retained captive without possibility of becoming loose from said holder.

Preferably, this holder is of knitted construction, as shown in Figure 3, and may be constituted of interwoven threads of any suitable material although, in practice, ordinary cotton thread has been found perfectly satisfactory and cheap. No particular form of knitting, or weaving, is required or contemplated, the main requirement being that the holder be flexible or yielding so as to contact the ball at all points. Obviously, other construction than knitting or weaving can be used also, within the spirit of the invention, it being conceivable that holders made of suitably shaped solid materials be acceptable also.

After a golf ball has been encased in the holder of the invention, it is clear that said ball may be treated exactly as a normal one, for practice purposes. Inasmuch as the ball is therefore captive, its flight will be limited to the length of the line or string S, whereby it will be easily retrieved,

Also, the exposed portion of the golf ball is more than sufficient for receiving the impact of the golf club so that, for all practical purposes, the captive ball can be treated, and acts as a normal one.

It is to be noted that the device of the invention does not alter, in any golf ball, the characteristics to which a player has been accustomed. For instance, the feel, or impact, of the club on the ball remains normal: thus, no artificiality is apparent in its behavoir.

Furthermore, the present device can be carried at all times by a golfer and used, at a. moments notice, anywhere: the stake P is not even necessary since, obviously, the line S can be attached to any suitable object, even to the foot of the player.

Summing up, the present invention concerns a most useful device for practicing golf shots; it is characterized by a small, light and inexpensive sac forming a holder for any conventional golf ball. This ballis imprisoned in said holder in a manner such that nearly one half of the ball surface is exposed freely, the remainder of the ball being encased in the said holder. Furthermore, the holder retains the ball by friction alone and without any help whatever from bolts, other mechanical appurtenances, adhesives or the action of vacuum.

Consequently, due to the removable natureof the holder, the ball used for practice is not marred, or damaged, in any way and may be instantly available for normal play.

Itrnust b'e uhderstob'd-that various changes in the manner of constructing the present holder can be resorted'to without departing from the spirit of the-invention, said-invention being char acterized by'a i'em'ova e enclosure covering more than-half the outer surface of a ball, as defined by the subjoined claim.

Having thus described hi-y'inven'tion, I claim:

tightly against the ball In combination with a conventional golf ball, a holder therefor comprising a. knitted sac of a shape resembling a truncated sphere, said sac being adapted to partially enclose a golf ball so as to leave exposed at its mouth a portion of said ball for engagement by a club, means for drawing the mouth of the sac, and an eye on the sac diametrically opposite the mouth for tethering the sac and enclosed ball for golf-practicing purposes. w

LOUIS BEDARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

